HEALTH IS WEALTH. 75 



us, within and without us, it almost seems as if we must 

 decline to continue on with the battle of life, and not at- 

 tempt to live at such fearful odds. And were it not that 

 human science, skill, practical experience, will, and faith 

 have such a mighty power to resist many forms of disease, 

 and even keep Death himself at bay for a while, we might, 

 at least, pity every new-born babe that is ushered into our 

 world. 



.If we compare the health-records and the death-rates of 

 the past with those of the present, imperfect though they 

 are, we can surely see that civilization, modern improve- 

 ments and discoveries, together with Christianity, have done 

 much to reduce the death-rate, and increase the health-rate, 

 of the individual and the community. 



Nations, states, villages, and communities are beginning to 

 learn that obedience to the laws of health is wealth, strength, 

 comfort, and pleasure to everybody. 



The establishment during the past year, by our United- 

 States Congress, of a National Board of Health under gov- 

 ernmental power, is a good indication that the health of a 

 whole nation is a matter worth legislation, and spending 

 some money upon. And the more recent organization of an 

 American Public Health Association, to secure the advan- 

 tage of the popular as well as the governmental power in 

 this work, indicates that people are beginning to believe that 

 at least many of our pestilential diseases may be effectually 

 trampled upon, if they cannot actually be stamped out of 

 existence. Also the maintenance of our Massachusetts 

 Board of Health for the past ten years shows us that the 

 old Bay State knows that to neglect the bodily and mental 

 health of her citizens is an evil nearly as great as would be 

 a neglect of school education and morals. Nay, more, is 

 she not willing to go still farther, and declare that to neg- 

 lect bodily health is a most sure way to bring on a neglect 

 of culture of mind and soul ? Has not the all-wise God con- 

 nected soul and body in such a mighty and mysterious man- 

 ner that we may well fear we shall see a handwriting on 

 the wall, " What God has joined together let not man put 

 asunder," if we fail to heed this union? 



" In ancient Rome, in the period two hundred to five hun- 

 dred years after the Christian era, the average duration of 

 life in the most favored classes was thirty years." 



